If former S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford runs for Congress, he will have to do it without one of his top lieutenants.

Chris Drummond, Sanford’s former communications director, has signed on as the senior campaign advisor for Teddy Turner -- who announced last month he was running to replace Tim Scott in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District.

Last month, Gov. Nikki Haley appointed Scott to replace U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, who resigned to lead the Heritage Foundation.

“As Chris has been courted by several other likely participants in the upcoming Republican primary, we believe his decision to join our team strongly reflects the mood of voters in South Carolina’s First Congressional District,” Michael Smith, Turner’s campaign manager, wrote in an email to The State newspaper. “Presently, (Drummond) is developing communications strategies that will help us present Teddy’s vision of service to all residents of District 1.”

Sources close to Sanford have told The State and other media outlets that Sanford is “90 percent certain” he will run for Scott’s seat. Sanford was represented South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District from 1995 to 2001. He was governor of South Carolina from 2003 to 2011.

Turner is a 1985 graduate of The Citadel and teaches high school economics at the Charleston Collegiate School.